Car-coupling



(No Model.)

W. P. CLARK.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 468,192. Patented Feb. 2, 1892.

76 v 41 76 a m 0 I 7 1/ W i w I 40 k ATTORNEYS.

sectional plan on the line 3 3 in Fig. 2;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM .l. CLARK, OF ELBERTON, GEORGIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 468,192, dated February 2, 1892.

Application filed June 3, 1891. Serial No. 394,927- (No model.)

To wZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM P. CLARK, of Elberton, in the county of Elbert and State of Georgia, have invented a new and Improved Car-Coupling, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in car-couplings; and the object of my invention is to produce an extremely simple and efficient coupling which may be easily secured to a car, which will enable the cars to be automatically coupled, which may be operated without endangering the life of the brakeman, and which may be readily converted into an old-fashioned coupling, if necessary.

To this end my invention consists in a carcoupling constructed substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part of this specification, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a front end view of the coupling embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing two couplin gs coupled together, the section being taken on the line 2 2 in Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a broken and Fig. 4: is adetail perspective viewin the locking-pin.

The hollow draw-heads are secured in a suitable frame 11, which is attached to a car in the ordinary way, and the draw-heads are provided with flaring mouths 12, which enable the coupling-latches to easily enter them, and each draw-head is provided with a couplinglatch 13, which projects from the mouth of the draw-head, and is secured in place by a removable pin 14, extending downward through the draw-head and through a hole in the latch. Each latch 13 is recessed on one side, as shown at 15, to form a shoulder to engage the locking-pin 16, and the latch 13 terminates at its free end in a beveled head 1'7, the bevel of the head enabling it to easily enter the mouth of an opposing coupling. The locking-pin 16 extends vertically through the draw-head and is adapted to move up and down, and near the central portion of the pin is a shoulder 18, said shoulder being produced on one side and having its front surface inclined, so that a coupling-latch may easily push its Way under it. The lower end of the locking-pin extends beneath the draw-head and is reduced, as shown at 19, to enable it to easily engage acrank 20, formed by doubling the rod 21, which rod extends transversely across the end of a car and is supported in suitable bearings 22, the ends of the rod being bent to form cranks 23, and the brakeman will thus be enabled to grasp a crank and uncouple the cars Without placing himself in position to be killed. The lower portion of the locking-pin 16 is smaller than the upper portion, and the shoulder 18 will normally rest upon the bottom of the recess in the draw-head, the incline of the shoulder being next the mouth of the draw-head. The locking-pin is placed on one side of the opening in the draw-head, and when two draw-heads come together, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the latches 13 of the respective draw-heads will come into a parallel position, and the inclined heads of the latches will strike the inclined shoulders 18 of the locking-pins, thus raising the latter, and when the heads pass the shoulders the latter will drop, thus causing the locking-pins to enter the recesses of the latches, and the draw-heads will thus be securely coupled together.

It will be noticed that this coupling is in reality a double coupling, and if on account of any additional strain one of the latches 13 should break the remaining latch would hold and the cars would not be separated.

Another advantage of this coupling is that the operating-rods 21 are provided with cranks at each end, and abrakeman may easily grasp thecrank of each rod when two couplings are united, and he may thus move both rods at the same time and uncouple the car.

It will be seen that the latches and lockingpins may be easily removed from the drawheads, and the ordinarylink and pin may be substituted where one of these couplings is to be coupled to an old-fashioned coupling.

It will be understood that the crank-shaft 21 may be moved by any of the common forms of lever mechanisms connecting it with the top of the car, and that a spring may be provided to press the locking-pin more quickly to place.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. Acar-couplin g comprising a hollow drawhead, a latch pivoted in the draw-head and projecting from the ends thereof, said latch having a recess in one side, a vertically-movable locking-pin extending vertically through the draw-head on one side of the latch, said locking-pin having an inclined shoulder thereon, and means for moving the lockingpin from the side of the car, substantially as describedw 2. A car-couplin g comprising a hollow drawhead having a flaring mouth, a latch pivoted in the draw-head and protruding from the end thereof, said latch having a beveled head and a side recess, a locking-pin held to move Vertically through the draw-head and provided with an inclined shoulder on one side, and a crank-rod mounted adjacent to the draw-head and having a crank connection with the locking-pin, substantially as described.

WILLIAM P. CLARK.

W'itnesses:

JAs. W. BRAZELL, JOHN P. SHANNON. 

